JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: As I think we've determined in previous posts about food or Sunday recipe shares, I am all about the quick and convenient when it comes to cooking. If it takes more than 20-30 minutes prep time, I'm more likely to say, "The heck with it," and buy a rotisserie chicken at the Hanneford. Which is why I love my cheater-cheater version of the traditional baked bean supper.
If you go to a Saturday night bean supper in Maine, you'll get baked beans, brown or corn bread, hot dogs (we like the red kind up here) slaw and a selection of old-fashioned baked desserts. There are lots of other variations: mac and cheese, green bean casserole, etc., but those are the basics. Making any of them from scratch is time consuming, to say the least. Of course, you can buy it all pre-made, but I prefer to actually put together some of it for the family. Here's how you can do it, too. As always, I tend to wing amounts, so adjust to feed your family.
Faked Beans:
2 to 4 large cans of white beans
1 onion, diced
1/4 to 1/2 lb. bacon, diced (easier to dice if it's semi-frozen.)
1/2 tsp powdered mustard
1/2 cup molassass
1/4 cup brown sugar
boiling water to cover beans.
Saute the onions and bacon in a large pot. Put everything else in and pour in boiling water to cover the beans. Lid them and let them simmer at a low boil while you make the rest of the supper.
Corny Corn Bread:
One box of that cheap-o corn bread mix
1/2 can of corn niblets
Mix the corn bread according to directions and add the niblets. Let it rest a few minutes, then spoon into muffin tin. Sling it in the oven following the box instructions. Told you this was a dead easy meal.
Hot dogs: Get Jordan's for that authentic Maine taste. Slaw: I get mine from the Hanneford.
Dessert! Dump Cake:
1 stick butter
1 box yellow or chocolate cake mix
1 can cherry pie filling
1 can shredded pineapple
1/2 bag of coconut flakes
Nuke the butter in a cup until it's melted. In a large rectangular cake pan, dump the pineapple, then the cherry pie filling. Spread 'em around evenly. Shake the cake mix over the fruits evenly. Sprinkle with coconut flakes. Drizzle the melted butter over the cake mix. Bake according to the mix directions. If you put it in when the corm muffins come out, it will be hot and gooey just in time for the end of the meal.
Serve while marveling that the Red Sox are going to the World Series!
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| Shaun Best/Reuters |
